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jjackson123 - do you know what company would have a contract for the playing surface?

It's a step in the right direction and one that will impact today's Zips and assist the staff with bringing in the future Zips. I'll be anxious to see the weight training room, it will be a huge improvement over the current arrangement and will allow the players to improve an underrated component in today's college bball. The next step is to increase the Rowdies numbers x 10 for a true home court advantage. Loved the band this year and their director BTW.

I don't know who we will be playing, but I hope we schedule Carleton, Saskatchewan, and Dalhousie or teams of their caliber. I fear we will instead schedule teams like Chabot, Ohlone, and Siskiyous. Regardless, the extra practice time should be beneficial. Huh? With the announcement of UMass joing the MAC in football only beginning in 2012 they will be required to play 4 MAC basketball games, 2 home & 2 away. Hope we can jump in early and get them in the JAR this year and definitely in 2012. They aren't at the level they were in hoops but will help in "bettering" our schedule.

Who and where will the Zips be playing in Canada?

I guess I'm in the minority regarding the game last night. Poor shooting, yes. Poor game, no. If you simply like scoring I can see why you'd be disappointed in the game but the defense, effort, emotion and strategy was there. The kids just didn't make their shots. It was still a high energy game played by excellent athletes. It simply demonstrates just how hard it is to play at that level....can't do it every night and whether it was defense, nerves, enviroment or whatever I still enjoyed watching it. Those kids are human, remember? I did feel bad for Butler and sick that UConn won another title and that somewhere Jay Bilias is smiling which really aggravates me.

My two cents on S.O.S.: I agree with the elimination of scheduling below D1; I'd also argue against scheduling more than 3 Top 25 programs as those would be away with no hope of a home and home. We are good enough that any Top 30 program isn't coming to the JAR. Since money is tight, schedule within a five hour bus. Who does that allow us to schedule with a possiblity of a home and home? Dayton, Duquesne & St. Bonaventure of the A10. Penn State, Northwestern, Indiana (currently) B10 Try to schedule 2 or 3 of the above per year. The other D1 programs within the 5 hour circle will demand we play in their barn with no return trip to ours. Sprinkle in one game a year with them if possible: Michigan, Michigan St, ND, OSU, Pitt, WVU, Xavier. That's 4 impressive games. MAC 16 games - win 12 OCC 12 games Big Boys 1 BCS Boys 3 - win 2 Locals 2 YSU & CSU - win 2 Low Tier D1 (2) win 2 In SeasonTournament - again against top 75 programs 3 games - win 1 Total Scheduled 28 games. I believe that's the NCAA maximum with 19 hoped for wins not counting the 3 or 4 MAC Tournament games or NCAA Championship games, optomistic but doable.

Akron's AD BETTER be in Houston and not straying to far from KD......I believe some minor facility improvements have been promised but so far nothing is occuring. Facilities go along way in recruiting and KD presently is doing very well with the challenges the JAR presents. He brings in good kids, wins and graduates his players and I think he's trying to push the program as high as he can......but he needs a partner in his efforts.....UA's administration and wallet. I don't want to be in the position of seeing him leave because he's not receiving the Unversity's support. Everyone wants this program to play with the big boys, well you gotta ante up to get into the game. I believe KD is doing his part.......now it's the AD & administration's move

I believe it was Captain Kangeroo who said he'd like to see the conference championships mean more to the BCS leagues and I agree. Right now, they are money grabs for the conferences with some teams hoping for redemption via winning them after less than hoped for regular season performances; I agree. Make all conference winners automatic participants in March madness, make regular season conference winners in as well. I'm not a statistician but with these two changes for all conferences you could still top out at 128 teams. There would still be seeding and I believe there should be some worth/benefit to winning the regular season and for winning the conference championship at the end of the regular season and as a previous poster stated, it would only add one more day to March Madness. It would also throw more $ into the NCAA and the conferences. Anyone know what financial impact making the NCAA's had on the Zips?

GP1 - in your last post, you weren't calling UD a high major were you? UD enjoys great fan support as their attendance records will verify but high major? I don't believe KD is looking to move, I think being at Akron IS his dream job but I also think it wise for the administration to approve some facility improvements and sweeten the assistants pay before someone presents an offer that doubles his salary, pays assistants well, excellent facilities and sees the value of a winning basketball program that won't embarass the university.

I'm sorry to see Geno go, good coach & good guy. I guess it can be summed up as Money talks and......... Hope they make a decent hire and keep the competitive rivalry going. I also hope Akron's administration and fans appreciate what a quality coach and man they have in Coach KD. Make sure he's compensated for what he is, the best coach in the MAC; he's signed for awhile but some facility improvements and better assistant $ would go a long way in demonstrating UA's committment to him.

Can the city of Akron afford such a facility? In light of the current economic times I can't imagine the city of Akron building such a facility. With enrollment and the men's team trending up now is the time to renovate the JAR. With the lack of another sufficient gym on campus, this presents some logistical problems for the teams currently using it as a practice & game day home. Hopefully, the coaches, AD and administration are already at work on this matter since it would seem this project would have to occur in stages and might take several years to accomplish since no other facilities are available.

Dave In Green is right on the money with his comments. It wouldn't break the bank to make some needed improvements to the JAR to take it from an aging gym to a sharp, small arena; I believe it's the perfect size for the Zips. Even if the Zips become a continual top 25 program the JAR can be improved/rehabbed into an excellent BB and yes, volleyball facility that recruits would love to play in and alumni could be proud of.

How to get where Butler is now? Here's my two cents: 1. University Board & President Proenza supports investing in men's basketball as a strategy to raise awareness of UA and increase the number of student applicants. 2. Pay Coaches - KD is a valuable coach - tell him so by committing $ to him & his assistants 3. Win MAC consistently, win > 20 games/yr, schedule wisely...home & away. Can't trade a loss/exposure for $ more than 2 x yr 4. Increase Recruiting budget 5. Get students to the JAR - winning & better seating arrangement - season ticket holders behind home bench & court side first row (chairs) Move media off floor or to endzone. Students sit next to band & across from benches - first 5 or 6 rows behind courtside chairs 5. Improve facilities - locker room, strength & conditioning room, trainers room & upgrade JAR seating - get rid of the track, the competition has better facilities & facilities are important to recruits. 6. Improve gameday experience & upgrade lobby & concessions - have local restaurants/bars buy kiosk space & encourage the band director to keep doing a great job involving the crowd. 7. Marketing, Marketing, Marketing - KD is an excellent communicator, get his interviews on the website after each game along with a couple players - Sports Information Director?